Oscarshall
Palace in Oslo, Norway.
Start here. The palace stands close to the water on Bygdøy, and the walk from the ferry landing is short, which leaves the rest of the morning for the Fram Museum.
Morning · 1 hr 30 minDay 1
A peninsula morning and a fortress evening
Fram Museum
Museum on the peninsula of Bygdøy in Oslo, Norway.
The polar ship Fram is the centrepiece; climb aboard early for the deck and the hold before the museum settles into its busiest hours.
Morning · 2 hr%20(2).jpg?width=800)
National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
National Museum in Oslo.
The galleries hold Munch's The Scream alongside the breadth of Norwegian art; give the first hour to the highlights and wander after.
Afternoon · 2 hr
Akershus Fortress
Former medieval castle in Oslo, Norway.
Save the ramparts for the evening, when the grounds are calm and the fjord light is longest.
Evening · 2 hrStart at Oscarshall; it and the Fram Museum share the Bygdøy peninsula, so one crossing covers both. Bring comfortable shoes - the route runs ferry, palace grounds and fortress ramparts on foot.
Day 2
Sculpture park, royal rooms, and the theatre
Frogner Park
Park in Oslo.
Vigeland's sculptures run along a single axis through the park; walk from one end to the other at your own pace and you cover the whole of it.
Morning · 1 hr 15 min
Royal Palace, Oslo
Official residence of the monarch of Norway.
The grounds are open to everyone, and the palace stands at the head of Karl Johans gate, giving the walk down the main street a clear starting point.
Morning · 1 hr 30 min
Museum of Cultural History
Museum of the University of Oslo, Norway.
The stave church gallery - the Gol stave church moved indoors - is the reason to come; give it the first part of your two hours.
Afternoon · 2 hr
National Theatre Oslo
Theatre in Oslo, Norway.
Even without a performance, the building is worth the hour; the statues on the steps face the city's main street.
Evening · 1 hrArrive at Frogner Park early, while the light is low over the sculptures, and let the walk carry you toward Royal Palace, Oslo. The Museum of Cultural History sits close by for the afternoon.
Day 3
Civic Oslo and a roof over the fjord
Parliament of Norway Building
Seat of the Storting, the parliament of Norway.
The building anchors one end of Karl Johans gate; a short pause here before the walk downhill makes sense of the city's main street.
Morning · 45 min
St. Olav's Cathedral
Cathedral in Oslo, Norway.
A quiet daytime stop near the city's old centre; the walk between it and the Parliament building takes a few minutes.
Morning · 45 min
Oslo Opera House
Opera house in Oslo, Norway.
The sloping marble roof is open to everyone; walking it takes ten minutes and gives the wide view across the fjord.
Afternoon · 1 hr%204.jpg?width=800)
Munch Museum
Art museum in Oslo, Norway.
The museum at Bjørvika faces the Opera House across the water, which makes the two of them one calm evening; the paintings suit the hour.
Evening · 2 hrReach Bjørvika by late afternoon so the Opera House roof and the Munch Museum share the same soft light; the Parliament building and St. Olav's Cathedral are short morning stops on the way.
Good to know
Is Bygdøy worth going to?
Yes, if you group it. Oscarshall and the Fram Museum sit on the same peninsula, a short ferry from the city centre, so one morning covers both before you cross back to town.
Where is The Scream in Oslo?
One version hangs in the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, beside the rest of the national collection. The Munch Museum at Bjørvika holds more of the artist's work.
Can you walk on the roof of the Oslo Opera House?
Yes. The building's sloping marble roof is open to everyone, day and evening, and it is also a working route between the city and the water.
How long do you need at the Fram Museum?
Two hours is comfortable: the polar exploration ship Fram is the centrepiece, and the story of the expeditions wraps around it on several levels.
Plan your own Oslo trip
Tell Triptic your dates and who is going. It starts from this plan and fits it to you, with real flights and a place to stay.
Start from this trip